Tan Thinh Vo

Traveling is a part of life, it brings people closer, get acquainted with other palaces, learn about culture and experience. It is a value of life. All those reasons, I went to study English and Tour Guide course after returning home in 03 years of National service. I was granted the Tour Guide certificate by Vietnam National Administration of Tourism in 1994. I joined Ben Thanh Tourist Company, a state-owned company. After 03 months as a training guide, I became a full-time local guide and tour leader across Vietnam for 2 weeks - a month by bus, train. Our partners are Sawadee, Baobab, Djoser, VNC from the Netherlands, Kuoni Travel from the UK, Nine Dragons from the USA. Special tours for Australian and American Veterans, jungle trekking, cycling and homestay in ethnic minority villages. I worked as a local guide with our partners' tour leaders and some itineraries where I was the tour leader as well as the local. After 09 years from 1994-2003 in that market, I tried to find new challenges in Foreign Tourist Company. Then I joined Travel Indochina 2003-2008 full-time as a local guide and tour leader with cross-Vietnam itineraries for 02 - 03 weeks. In this Company, I had a change to work and share working experience with Australian Trip Leaders as all our customers were from Australia and New Zealand. Later we had branch offices in the UK and USA so we toured together, this company also had some itineraries requiring local guides as leaders. For 5 years working for foreign companies and learning about culture, I decided to look for a company with retired customers, then I joined OAT - Grand Circle 2008 - 2009 full-time as a tour leader for cross-Vietnam trips for 16 days. However, in this company, I learned how to serve, help and be like a little friend to them on their trips away from home for the elderly.